US4431534A - Liquid-liquid separation apparatus - Google Patents

Liquid-liquid separation apparatus Download PDF

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Publication number
US4431534A
US4431534A US06/401,183 US40118382A US4431534A US 4431534 A US4431534 A US 4431534A US 40118382 A US40118382 A US 40118382A US 4431534 A US4431534 A US 4431534A
Authority
US
United States
Prior art keywords
caisson
reservoir
water
liquid
lighter
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Fee Related
Application number
US06/401,183
Other languages
English (en)
Inventor
Michael P. Gordon
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
ExxonMobil Upstream Research Co
Original Assignee
Exxon Production Research Co
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Exxon Production Research Co filed Critical Exxon Production Research Co
Priority to US06/401,183 priority Critical patent/US4431534A/en
Assigned to EXXON PRODUCTION RESEARCH COMPANY; A CORP OF DE. reassignment EXXON PRODUCTION RESEARCH COMPANY; A CORP OF DE. ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST. Assignors: GORDON, MICHAEL P.
Priority to NO832453A priority patent/NO832453L/no
Priority to GB08319332A priority patent/GB2124100B/en
Priority to KR1019830003341A priority patent/KR840005353A/ko
Priority to JP58134251A priority patent/JPS5932904A/ja
Priority to AU17220/83A priority patent/AU564473B2/en
Publication of US4431534A publication Critical patent/US4431534A/en
Application granted granted Critical
Priority to SG769/86A priority patent/SG76986G/en
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Fee Related legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01D—SEPARATION
    • B01D17/00—Separation of liquids, not provided for elsewhere, e.g. by thermal diffusion
    • E—FIXED CONSTRUCTIONS
    • E21—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; MINING
    • E21B—EARTH OR ROCK DRILLING; OBTAINING OIL, GAS, WATER, SOLUBLE OR MELTABLE MATERIALS OR A SLURRY OF MINERALS FROM WELLS
    • E21B43/00—Methods or apparatus for obtaining oil, gas, water, soluble or meltable materials or a slurry of minerals from wells
    • E21B43/34—Arrangements for separating materials produced by the well
    • E21B43/36—Underwater separating arrangements
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01D—SEPARATION
    • B01D17/00—Separation of liquids, not provided for elsewhere, e.g. by thermal diffusion
    • B01D17/02—Separation of non-miscible liquids
    • B01D17/0208—Separation of non-miscible liquids by sedimentation
    • B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
    • B01—PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL
    • B01D—SEPARATION
    • B01D17/00—Separation of liquids, not provided for elsewhere, e.g. by thermal diffusion
    • B01D17/02—Separation of non-miscible liquids
    • B01D17/0208—Separation of non-miscible liquids by sedimentation
    • B01D17/0214—Separation of non-miscible liquids by sedimentation with removal of one of the phases
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC
    • Y10S—TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y10S210/00—Liquid purification or separation
    • Y10S210/918—Miscellaneous specific techniques
    • Y10S210/922—Oil spill cleanup, e.g. bacterial
    • Y10S210/923—Oil spill cleanup, e.g. bacterial using mechanical means, e.g. skimmers, pump

Definitions

  • the present invention concerns apparatus for separating imiscible lighter and heavier liquids and, in particular, hydrocarbon liquids and the like from water. More particularly, the invention concerns a liquid-liquid separator for use in a body of water for separating and removing crude oil from waste water, and specifically, waste water discharged from an offshore drilling platform.
  • Waste water disposal caissons are available which remove oil from waste water through the use of an internal spillover wier located above the means water level of the body of water in which such caissons are arranged. These caissons, however, are susceptible to the potentially adverse effect of wave action; namely, that the oil/water interface level in the caissons might momentarily rise above the spillover wier and allow water to enter the oil chamber from which it is desired to pump only oil.
  • the present invention restricts the upward flow of liquids in the upper section of that type caisson such that even under storm conditions, the oil level is increased only slightly during a rise in the water level immediately surrounding the caisson. This oil level falls an equivalently small amount when the water level immediately surrounding the caisson falls.
  • a surge plate is located in the upper section of the caisson. A small hole in the surge plate restricts upward flow of liquids caused by wave action yet does not restrict downward flow of the inlet liquids and solid particles, such as sand.
  • a further advantage of the surge plate concept is that since the oil spillover wier does not have to be elevated much above the expected high mean water level, a smaller oil layer will be formed in the upper section of the caisson reducing thereby the possibility that the lower level of the oil level i.e. the oil-water interface will fall below the water inlet terminus.
  • This invention concerns apparatus for separating a multi-phase liquid mixture of lighter and heavier liquids which includes an open-ended cylindrical vessel having a surge plate extending across the interior dividing the vessel into two sections. One of the sections forms a first reservoir for the liquids. A wier plate extends from the surge plate forming in the other section a second reservoir and a chamber for the lighter liquid. The surge plate has an opening which communicates the two reservoirs. Means are provided for supplying liquids to the first reservoir and means are provided in the chamber for removing the lighter liquid from the chamber.
  • FIG. 1 is a vertical, sectional view of the liquid-liquid separation apparatus arranged in accordance with the invention.
  • FIG. 2 is a view taken on lines 2--2 of FIG. 1.
  • an open-ended cylindrical caisson 10 is positioned in a body of water 11 adjacent an off-shore platform or other oil and gas drilling or producing facility, not shown.
  • the high mean water level of the body of water 11 is indicated at 12.
  • Caisson 10 is arranged upright in the body of water 11.
  • a horizontal surge plate 13 is permanently fixed in the caisson and divides caisson 10 into upper and lower sections, 14 and 15, respectively.
  • a wier plate 16 is permanently affixed to surge plate 13 and extends vertically in section 14 to form an oil reservoir 17 and an oil bucket chamber 18.
  • Lower section 15 forms an oil and water reservoir 19.
  • Surge plate 13 contains a small hole 20 communicating between reservoirs 17 and 19.
  • a waste water inlet 21 passes through upper section 14 and surge plate 13 into lower section 15, as shown.
  • a pump 25 is arranged in bucket chamber 18. It is furnished with a check valve 19 at its lower end which permits flow into but prevents flow from pump 25.
  • This pump may be suitably a conventional double-diaphragm pneumatic type pump.
  • a conduit 26 supplies gas, such as air, to pump 25 to operate the pump and an outlet conduit 27 discharges oil from pump 25.
  • Another tubing 28 extends through the open upper end of caisson 10 into bucket chamber 18. It is open at its lower end and is connected to a level indicator at the surface to determine the level of the oil in bucket chamber 18. This level is determined by measuring back pressure when a steady flow of gas is put into tubing 28 from a point, not shown, outside of caisson 10.
  • the level indicator may be a conventional separate float controller, not tubing 28, which turns on pump 25 when the level in oil bucket 18 rises above a pre-set or pre-selected level. Such level indicator is connected to a suitable control for controlling operation of pump 25.
  • Another level control may be provided by a float arranged in a liquid safety high float vessel 31 which is connected to the interior of caisson 10 by lines 32 and 33 which contain valves 34 and 35, respectively.
  • the operation is automatically controlled by line 28 and controls, not shown, connected to it.
  • the upper level safety high float controls flow of the waste water into inlet 21 by controlling a valve, not shown, on that inlet.
  • the caisson can be formed of various shapes other than cylindrical. Also, different type pumps might be used instead of gas-operated pump 25. For example, an electrically operated pump might be used instead. Other changes in the configuration and components of the apparatus may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Landscapes

  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Geology (AREA)
  • Mining & Mineral Resources (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Thermal Sciences (AREA)
  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • Environmental & Geological Engineering (AREA)
  • Fluid Mechanics (AREA)
  • Geochemistry & Mineralogy (AREA)
  • General Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Removal Of Floating Material (AREA)
  • Refuse Collection And Transfer (AREA)
  • Separation Using Semi-Permeable Membranes (AREA)
  • Degasification And Air Bubble Elimination (AREA)
  • Jet Pumps And Other Pumps (AREA)
  • Processing And Handling Of Plastics And Other Materials For Molding In General (AREA)
  • Processing Of Solid Wastes (AREA)
US06/401,183 1982-07-23 1982-07-23 Liquid-liquid separation apparatus Expired - Fee Related US4431534A (en)

Priority Applications (7)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US06/401,183 US4431534A (en) 1982-07-23 1982-07-23 Liquid-liquid separation apparatus
NO832453A NO832453L (no) 1982-07-23 1983-07-05 Apparatur for vaeske-vaeskeseparasjon.
GB08319332A GB2124100B (en) 1982-07-23 1983-07-18 Liquid-liquid separation apparatus
KR1019830003341A KR840005353A (ko) 1982-07-23 1983-07-20 액체 분리장치
JP58134251A JPS5932904A (ja) 1982-07-23 1983-07-22 液体と液体の分離装置
AU17220/83A AU564473B2 (en) 1982-07-23 1983-07-22 Liquid-liquid separator for waste water from offshore drilling
SG769/86A SG76986G (en) 1982-07-23 1986-09-24 Liquid-liquid separation apparatus

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US06/401,183 US4431534A (en) 1982-07-23 1982-07-23 Liquid-liquid separation apparatus

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
US4431534A true US4431534A (en) 1984-02-14

Family

ID=23586679

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
US06/401,183 Expired - Fee Related US4431534A (en) 1982-07-23 1982-07-23 Liquid-liquid separation apparatus

Country Status (7)

Country Link
US (1) US4431534A (ja)
JP (1) JPS5932904A (ja)
KR (1) KR840005353A (ja)
AU (1) AU564473B2 (ja)
GB (1) GB2124100B (ja)
NO (1) NO832453L (ja)
SG (1) SG76986G (ja)

Cited By (10)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4746423A (en) * 1986-09-15 1988-05-24 R. E. Wright Associates In-well pump skimmer
US4761225A (en) * 1986-08-18 1988-08-02 Breslin Michael K Apparatus for controlling the removal of liquid hydrocarbons from groundwater
US4824562A (en) * 1987-03-12 1989-04-25 R. E. Wright Associates, Inc. In well separator for heavier liquid
US5368747A (en) * 1990-07-31 1994-11-29 Theodore R. Rymal, Jr. Fluid separation system and method
US5435910A (en) * 1993-01-04 1995-07-25 Texaco Inc. Emulsion breaking system for offshore facilities
US6146104A (en) * 1996-11-08 2000-11-14 The It Group, Inc. Groundwater recovery system incorporating a combination of pressure and vacuum to accomplish removal of groundwater fluids from a downhole pump
US6164308A (en) * 1998-08-28 2000-12-26 Butler; Bryan V. System and method for handling multiphase flow
US6234030B1 (en) 1998-08-28 2001-05-22 Rosewood Equipment Company Multiphase metering method for multiphase flow
US6267901B1 (en) * 2000-01-31 2001-07-31 Albert Franklin Methods and apparatus for wastewater treatment on offshore structures
US20200368419A1 (en) * 2018-01-11 2020-11-26 Fresenius Medical Care Deutschland Gmbh Device for Draining Away Waste Water

Citations (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2003140A (en) * 1933-04-22 1935-05-28 George J Dehn Grease trap
US3224593A (en) * 1961-05-23 1965-12-21 Nebolsine Ross Apparatus for separation of oil from aqueous mixtures
US3752318A (en) * 1971-12-06 1973-08-14 Texaco Inc Liquid separation apparatus
US3756409A (en) * 1971-08-06 1973-09-04 C Carmichael Water disposal caisson and method of using same
US3797203A (en) * 1972-10-10 1974-03-19 Fishmaster Prod Inc Means for separating heavier from lighter components of comingled fluid
US3893918A (en) * 1971-11-22 1975-07-08 Engineering Specialties Inc Method for separating material leaving a well
US4146482A (en) * 1978-02-22 1979-03-27 Yin-Lung Yang System for collecting oil
US4252649A (en) * 1979-10-10 1981-02-24 Favret Jr Uncas Method and apparatus for recovering oil

Family Cites Families (3)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
GB1420011A (en) * 1973-01-09 1976-01-07 Favret U Method and apparatus for separating material leaving a well
NO153938C (no) * 1979-11-02 1986-06-18 Ostlund As Fremgangsmaate ved oppfangning og separasjon av olje, vann og gass fra en oljebroenn og en utligningskolonne for utfoerelse av fremgangsmaaten.
FR2480617B1 (fr) * 1980-04-21 1986-01-17 Bardet Sa Ets Andre Appareil et installation de separation de liquides non miscibles de densites differentes

Patent Citations (8)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US2003140A (en) * 1933-04-22 1935-05-28 George J Dehn Grease trap
US3224593A (en) * 1961-05-23 1965-12-21 Nebolsine Ross Apparatus for separation of oil from aqueous mixtures
US3756409A (en) * 1971-08-06 1973-09-04 C Carmichael Water disposal caisson and method of using same
US3893918A (en) * 1971-11-22 1975-07-08 Engineering Specialties Inc Method for separating material leaving a well
US3752318A (en) * 1971-12-06 1973-08-14 Texaco Inc Liquid separation apparatus
US3797203A (en) * 1972-10-10 1974-03-19 Fishmaster Prod Inc Means for separating heavier from lighter components of comingled fluid
US4146482A (en) * 1978-02-22 1979-03-27 Yin-Lung Yang System for collecting oil
US4252649A (en) * 1979-10-10 1981-02-24 Favret Jr Uncas Method and apparatus for recovering oil

Cited By (11)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4761225A (en) * 1986-08-18 1988-08-02 Breslin Michael K Apparatus for controlling the removal of liquid hydrocarbons from groundwater
US4746423A (en) * 1986-09-15 1988-05-24 R. E. Wright Associates In-well pump skimmer
US4824562A (en) * 1987-03-12 1989-04-25 R. E. Wright Associates, Inc. In well separator for heavier liquid
US5368747A (en) * 1990-07-31 1994-11-29 Theodore R. Rymal, Jr. Fluid separation system and method
US5435910A (en) * 1993-01-04 1995-07-25 Texaco Inc. Emulsion breaking system for offshore facilities
US6146104A (en) * 1996-11-08 2000-11-14 The It Group, Inc. Groundwater recovery system incorporating a combination of pressure and vacuum to accomplish removal of groundwater fluids from a downhole pump
US6164308A (en) * 1998-08-28 2000-12-26 Butler; Bryan V. System and method for handling multiphase flow
US6234030B1 (en) 1998-08-28 2001-05-22 Rosewood Equipment Company Multiphase metering method for multiphase flow
US6354318B2 (en) 1998-08-28 2002-03-12 Rosewood Equipment Company System and method for handling multiphase flow
US6267901B1 (en) * 2000-01-31 2001-07-31 Albert Franklin Methods and apparatus for wastewater treatment on offshore structures
US20200368419A1 (en) * 2018-01-11 2020-11-26 Fresenius Medical Care Deutschland Gmbh Device for Draining Away Waste Water

Also Published As

Publication number Publication date
GB8319332D0 (en) 1983-08-17
GB2124100A (en) 1984-02-15
JPS5932904A (ja) 1984-02-22
AU1722083A (en) 1984-01-26
NO832453L (no) 1984-01-24
GB2124100B (en) 1986-02-19
KR840005353A (ko) 1984-11-12
SG76986G (en) 1987-02-27
AU564473B2 (en) 1987-08-13

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Owner name: EXXON PRODUCTION RESEARCH COMPANY; A CORP OF DE.

Free format text: ASSIGNMENT OF ASSIGNORS INTEREST.;ASSIGNOR:GORDON, MICHAEL P.;REEL/FRAME:004116/0539

Effective date: 19820716

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LAPS Lapse for failure to pay maintenance fees
FP Lapsed due to failure to pay maintenance fee

Effective date: 19920216

STCH Information on status: patent discontinuation

Free format text: PATENT EXPIRED DUE TO NONPAYMENT OF MAINTENANCE FEES UNDER 37 CFR 1.362